Heaven upon earth in the serene tranquillity and calm composure, in the sweet peace…

SERMON I.

Heb. 9. v. 13. 14. For if the blood of bulls, and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

IT is the great business of Christians to walk so, as they may be in good terms with their Conscience, that from no untenderness in their way, there may be any just ground of challenge, at least none such as may wound the Conscience, and break or mar the peace ⟨p. 322⟩and tranquillity of it, before God, or disturb, or interrupt that sweet serenity, and distinct calmness of a spiritual frame of soul, that he allows on believers in him, who are exercising themselves to have always a good Conscience: But alas! its not all professors of Religion; Its not all gracious Christians that win at this; who (I mean serious Christians) partly throw the unmortified rem•nder of corruption still dwelling in them, and partly through their own unwatchfulness, fall often into such sins as defile the Conscience, and obstruct the clear light, and serene tranquillity thereof, when in any measure attained: and therefore it is no less necessary to know how a defiled Conscience may be purged, and how we may recover loosed calmness and peace, then it is to know how a good Conscience may be win at; for indeed if all our peace, and tranquillity of Conscience depended on our own holy walk only; it would be but a heartless and comfortless work to speak of a good and calm Conscience on that ground; but this is the great, the very great advantage that we have by the Gospel of Grace; which, as it shows the way how to prevent a quarrel from and so a wound unto the Conscience; so it shows the way how a quarrel and controversy drawn on, may be removed; and this is the thing that now we would speak a little to, from these words; wherein the Apostles scope is, to hold out to the Jews the weakness of their ceremonial worship, sacrifices and washings; and the sufficiency of Christs sacrifice to do their business; and to bring them from resting on that ceremonial worship, to rest upon Jesus Christ alone; and one of the arguments that he makes use of for this end is, That no legal or ceremonial worship, or service, could make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience, as he says, v. 9. None of these things could give a man peace before God, and his own Conscience; but that on the contrary the blood of Jesus Christ, is able to purge the conscience from dead works;